Dependency Law Finder

Florida's dependency statutes, court rules and DCF operating procedures, with the appellate opinions that apply them

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K.C. v. Department of Children & Families220 So. 3d 579 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017) · 1D17-1902

Court
1st DCA
Decided
2017-07-06
Case
Dependency
Appellant
Mother

Dismissed Certiorari petition dismissed because the permanent guardianship order was non-final and the mother showed no irreparable harm, without prejudice to review of a final order.

Issues
Appellate jurisdiction & timeliness, Permanency goals other than reunification, Certiorari: irreparable harm, Certiorari: cannot be remedied on appeal
Law cited
§ 39.603(1)

Summary, issues, facts, outcome, and appellant were extracted automatically from the opinion. Check the opinion itself before relying on them.

Court's PDF On CourtListener
PER CURIAM.

The Mother timely sought review by appeal of a post-disposition dependency order that granted a motion to change the permanency goal to permanent guardianship, placed the child in permanent guard *580 ianship, terminated protective supervision, and directed the filing of a modified case plan. The order is not final because judicial labor remains to be done to achieve permanency for the dependent child. See § 39.603(1), Fla. Stat. (2017); M.M. v. Dep’t of Children & Families, 189 So.3d 134, 137 (Fla. 2016); T.H. v. Dep’t of Children and Families, 736 So.2d 126 (Fla. 1st DCA 1999). Although the order stated that the modified case plan shall be accepted and adopted by the court upon filing, a non-final order may not become final at some future date upon the happening of an event specified in the order. Ponton v. Gross, 576 So.2d 910 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). Pursuant to M.M., the appeal was treated as invoking the Court’s certiorari jurisdiction, and the Mother was directed to file a petition.

Having considered the petition for writ of certiorari, the matter is hereby DISMISSED. Eutsay v. State, 103 So.3d 181, 182 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012); Bared & Co. v. McGuire, 670 So.2d 153, 157 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996) (“If petitioner has failed to make a prima facie showing of irreparable harm, we lack jurisdiction and will enter an order dismissing the petition.”); Md. Cas. Co. v. Century Constr. Corp., 656 So.2d 611 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995) (holding preliminary post-judgment order is not reviewable where it will culminate in a subsequent order granting or denying the relief requested and thereby offering the possibility of relief on review from the later order). The dismissal is without prejudice to the Mother’s right to seek review upon entry of a final order modifying the permanency goal to permanent guardianship.

WOLF, ROWE, and KELSEY, JJ., CONCUR.

Opinion text: CourtListener, Free Law Project. Not an official reporter; check the court's version before citing.